Fall rain and chance of snow

The rain has fell all day,  I went outside and with hat and rain coat I walked around listening to the patter of the rain drops.  Tonite possible snow.

Abbey of Gethsemani

The caption picture of this blog is a photo taken by me  One year ago on my retreat to the abbey.
It is early morning after the first snowfall of 2013 and pictures Dom Frederic's lake.

The Owls

I am lucky.  I have known that for quite sometime now.  Not only have I had a great life but a fulfilling career and some luck with women of all shapes and sizes.   I have been married to a blonde and a redhead, dated all the other hair colors imaginable.  Now my greatest, latest luck is to live near where at least 2 sets of Eastern Screech and Great Horned Owls roost.

Almost nightly, that is morning and sunset they cry......

Sweet fall rain

The rusty leaves, falling now with the advancing wind pushing them off their branches and with the coming rain likely knocking off most of the lovely crisp colors.

Screech owls nearby

Over the past few days I have heard the screech owls.   In fact they are close by, perhaps 200 ft. from my house.  Tomorrow I will get up early and listen.

Bird feeders are out

I filed my nyjer feeder and my black sunflower seed feeders yesterday, now just waiting to enjoy all the birds eating this fall and winter.

October 2nd early morn'

I heard the screech owl early this morning.  He sounded around 3 am central and with the expected weather change upcoming tonite, why not?    Tonite the rain is coming through with true fall this weekend!

Great Horned Owls- Owl Night September 28th

This morning I woke at 3 am and sat waiting to hear owls.   The first was a screech owl which roosts nearby in the woods at around 3:30 am .   I then fell back to sleep, near dawn two Great Horned Owls calling each other in the distance.  This was a great owl night

Early Morning Possum

This morning in my sauntering with coffee cup in hand I spotted my friend the "Possum in August"
He quickly scampered away upon seeing me.   My plan is to survail him over the coming fall, study his habits and report further.

Early morning quiet and solitude

I enjoyed the 4:45 am silence this morning.....in solitude contemplating the moon that slipped behind the building cloud cover.   I did not hear the screech owl, but I have noticed when it is clouding up he does not sound?    It was great sitting outside eating my breakfast before dawn.

Sounding of the screech owl

Early this morning about 4:20 am I woke took a shower and shaved.   Walked outside with my coffee and sat waiting for screech owls.  Roughly at 5:45 am he sounded.

Early morning dusk

I sat and listened for the Screech Owl in the early morning.    It was a pleasant contemplative time, sipping my coffee and waiting for nature.

Screech owl

Early this morning at first light the screech owl sounded.  He was across the road in a new location.
I listened and than it lightened up and he stopped.   Fall is coming.

Bird feeders up and filled

Around this time I put up my feeders and begin again the feeding of birds.  Almost immediately I am watching and my cats ( through the safety of glass for they are indoor cats ) are enthralled  by the many types and kinds.   I again this winter will attempt to count and catalog as many as I can.

Glowering skies, rain and mist- O' Winter is on its way!

...these herald in a change in seasons.   I realize the autumn equinox is around September 22, but the weather these last 2 days indicates the season change.   The wind and rain, with last nights downpour for a few hours indicate a shift from summer to fall.   I long for the change and enjoy living where there are still four distinct seasons in the year.    Last winter was quite a doozy and the meterologists are predicting the El Nino shift or some sort of Polar vortex again this winter.   Well I for one will enjoy it.....walking to wherever one needs to get to in a day....missing days of work which I am very fortunate to have the leave time to allow me to not work and still get paid.  Just being snowed in or iced in for a long time.   My activities include , baking bread letting it rise naturally in the bread pan.   Rationing what is in the fridge to make it stretch a few days until the weather breaks.   Reading , reading and more reading of all the books I got from the library before the storm, perhaps the great winter storm of the last
century.  Drinking steaming tea with honey and refilling the bird feeder and knowing in my small way that I have provided for natures small creatures both for their lives and my enjoyment.

Autumnal winds

Today is the last of August 2014.  August, sometimes very hot and humid here was not so much this year.   We have had only about 10 days of 90's plus tempertures and the humidity not bad.

Now begins the transition, the first of September is so much different from the end of the month.   The leaves starting to change all through the forest,  different birds arriving at the feeders.   Bringing out the long sleeve shirts, finding the snow boots and storing away the sandals, shorts and beach wear.

I love all the seasons but this one most of all...... It has brought me such happiness before and now I anticipate something good coming.

Possum in August

A few days ago late in the evening just after dark, a young inquisitive possum ventured near where I live.   I quietly gathered my gnarled, twisty vine cane, found my electric torch and sought him out to corner him.   This I did and  poked him gently as he hissed and snarled and ran under  large brush nearby.   I looked for him further but lost him in the night.    I had no evil intent just a teaching moment.
For both he and I that lifes little moments of interaction should instruct us in how to live---for me, and for him how to stay alive by avoiding humans.

Gather ye Rosebuds while ye may

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may.....


Robert Herrick

Thomas Merton- inherently human

Thomas Merton who was inherently contradicted in his life.   Struggling to live by the constraints of his religion while knowing in his heart he needed to reach out to the woman he fell in love with in Louisville Kentucky in 1966

His work has taught us well that we must seek to perfect our inner selves through meditation and contemplation, seeking our own spirtuality.   His life teaches us still to love others and to seek that love in making our lives a richer experience, a complete life.

Silence and early morning contemplation

As I sit in early morning silence, I contemplate nature, life and my place in it.

Super full moon

Pause this evening, weather permitting and just contemplate the full moon!

Ground hogs, rabbits, coons and owls

The last few days have been wonderful.  Nearby are baby woodchucks, i.e. groundhogs eating fresh clover, young rabbits abound.  Late one evening I saw a coon exploring in a broken patch of woods and scrub.   Now I await my friendly owls, we have heard in the past both screech and hoot owls either in late twilight evening or early early morning.    Ah, the calmness of nature.

Honey bees

Yesterday while sitting on my deck I looked down at my feet and saw a honey bee.   I was glad he was alive and gathering pollen.  We all know and have heard about the great honey bee die off caused by mostly environmental factors, etc. spraying, illness induced  mites...whatever the source, our beloved bees are dying off.  It is and continues sad to think we are destroying the planet we live on and are in a race to do so.

Early morning Woodpecker

Early yesterday in my quiet contemplative drive into Logan County Kentucky, a woodpecker darted in the path of my car,  we missed by inches....... for that I am so relieved!

It was either a Hairy or Downy Woodpecker.   The Hairy is longer and is known to be a little shyer than the Downy.   But the bill length is the only real way to distinguish the different species.  Its sighting added a sweet tranquility to my early morning drive into solitudes stillness.

Screech Owl

Late yesterday evening I heard a screech in the nearby woods.   They typically sound in twilight and early dawn.  Their sound sometimes mournful but mostly to me a soothing sound of nature.

Strong Storms today and tornados

On my contemplative drive I will have to look to the sky and enjoy the strong storms around me.  This will prevent me from being outside today but I can none the less look to the skies for natural fireworks.

Peaceful contemplation along Sulphur Creek

This early spring morning dew is upon the mountain laurel blooming in the rock ledges and along the treeline.   I stop on my quiet walk and breath in the solitude and the distant fragrant honeysuckle.

The natural world

I seek the natural world.  Nature provides us not only our life sustaining nourishment through its vegetation but a place to live and abide during our lives.  I look to nature and nothing else as I live my life on this planet.   When I pass, others shall remain here and enjoy hopefully life and appreciate the time and small pleasures on earth.

Inner reflections

All we must do is seek quiet.  Retreat into oneself and contemplate life all around.  It is enough to calm your thoughts and if not in the aloneness of woods or other nature, to recall those times in the natural world.

Mountain Laurel

In the woodland blooms the mountain laurel
Its fresh flowers covered by the dew
Others pass by and never look to see
Natures decoration in mountains pew

The long perspective

     I now take the long perspective.  Life is a journey, it is the race not the destination.   A wise person or persons spoke the above.  It has taken me a very long time to learn this maxium.
     Today I venture again along the rocky creek, knowing that my travels  are but an infintismal drop in the stream of the earths existence.   I enjoy the sun, wind and looking for fossils.   My quiet solitude is more precious than fine gold or silver.  I found no fossils but a lifetime of remembrances, if I choose to recall them in my time.  
    I urge the long perspective but be mindful to enjoy the day and leave the world something meaningful in your wake.

Creek rocks and Sulphur Creek

Along Sulphur Creek I walked and tread upon the creek gravel looking for fossils and interesting rocks for my collection.    I stooped and picked up many but chose known,  I am quite picky.   The air was crisp low 60's and the clouds hide the sun.   I basked in the aloneness and frankly talked to myself to hear my head rattle!  That is an old saying, an old country saying.   It was said , "if you talked to yourself, at least you talked to someone intelligent."   So that is what I did, walked in loose creek rocks and talked to myself........I did not answer back!

Driving for solitude

This morning on my long drive to work I will have my solitude and peaceful view of early spring along  real creeks and woodlands.   Perhaps I will see wild birds and other wildlife.  The peaceful spring and later today more aloneness.  

Rants from voluntary isolation

If you met me, which you probably won't, you would not perceive me a hermit.
I dress in clean clothes mostly, somewhat worn, go to my job, talk to people sometimes and otherwise
appear not a lover of solitude.

But solitude I crave and find it daily with inner travels of mind.  Woodlands, creeks and
hillsides I walk feeling my particular thought retreat.

Alone is good, imagination rides the breeze and rustles leaves.
Sand between my toes, snowy mountains in my path, gnarled twisted vine cane
in my grip.......and off I waddle.